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Wine for a Song

Zinny's BYOB break still has her snatching up wine for less.

Monday Feb 11, 2008.     By Zinny Fandel

Food Feed

It pains me to admit it, but it's getting harder and harder to BYO these days. Mainly because I'm so cold resistant that I prefer to make avocado-studded brown rice for dinner, crack open a bottle of rose and try really hard to pretend I'm in sunny LA, not in "I haven't felt my toes since November" Chicago.

But it's also because I've stumbled upon some really great wine deals that may not be quite as cheap as the BYO (especially when that bring-your-own spot is El Potosi, with its $4 tortas and dreamy front porch—oh there goes that warm-weather dreaming again), and that's kind of the point. When the winter doldrums hit, the idea of trekking across town for the joy of some undiscovered ethnic eatery sounds too difficult.

Maybe the snob in me peeks through a bit more come February, but after drinking at and dreaming about these pretty posh restaurants, I'm kind of OK with that.

Rustik
This new Logan Square restaurant smacks of stunning Michigan cabin—what your vacation home would be if it were very, very comfortable. Pull your eyes from the glowing glassed-in atrium and antler-studded chandeliers and focus on the wine menu: All bottles are half-price on Thursdays. The eclectic, well-chosen wine list touches down in France, Australia and California. It's easy to snag a bottle for about $15; go Euro with the meat and cheese platter, but if the German butter cake is available, order it!

Volo
Monday nights get a serious boost at Volo, a wine bar so good I've gladly paid full price on past visits. But the idea of a crisp Sonoma Chenin Blanc at half the cost is reason enough to make this a start-of-the-work-week destination. The pizzas are worth ordering regardless of the variety, though the sweet pea and onion and clam- and smoked sausage-topped versions have impressed in the past. If you're looking for more delicate bites, try a cheese plate with manchego and vintage gouda or the flourless chocolate cake sided with mint chip ice cream.

The Tasting Room at Randolph Wine Cellars
Expect your Mondays to be booked for quite a while: This is the perfect stop for weary workers who can't drag themselves more than a mile out of the Loop without having a drink. The plus about this West Randolph Street wine bar isn't just its long list of sexy/romantic/best accolades: It's the fact that its deal applies to glasses only, meaning you can sip your way through 100+ options. Go nutso with a $22 rose (now a less-crazy $11) or stick to the budget with a discounted $3.75 Sauvignon Blanc. The $15 cheese plates delight.

Gruppo Di Amici
Take your pick: This Rogers Park restaurant pours half-price glasses on Tuesdays and half-price bottles on Thursdays. You'll find a thoughtful menu of Portuguese blends, Italian Montepulciano and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier, Chenin Blanc blend from the Clif Bar Winery. Stuffed mushrooms, sauteed mussels and marinated octopus are worthwhile starters; move on to the Roman-style wood-fired pizza if your tippling awakens a mean appetite.

Zinny Fandel's tales of living the (mostly) BYOB life are intended to be attempted at home and in the community, preferably at BYOB restaurants. If you know of a BYOB spot she simply must tipple at, let her know.